Drama celebrates 32nd anniversary of The Bill with virtual Sun Hill

Friday 7 October 2016

UKTV today announces that Drama has created a digital reimagining of Sun Hill police station to celebrate the anniversary of The Bill on 16 October. The dedicated new microsite is an interactive tour through the history of the hit show which ran for 26 series. The launch of the website marks 32 years of the popular show which first aired in 1984.

The microsite allows fans to scroll through the beautifully designed timeline which animates the journey. It is an interactive collation of best-loved storylines, favourite characters and intriguing little-known facts. It features by-the-book coppers like Sgt Bob Cryer and WPC June Ackland, corrupt detectives such as DS Don Beech and PC Eddie Santini as well as all the villains they nicked. This compilation relives old rivals, arresting romances and all the most shocking moments from all 26 series.

The Bill was Britain's longest-running police drama, set in Sun Hill Police Station and starring Eric Richard (Bob Cryer), Jeff Stewart (Reg Hollis) and Trudie Goodwin (June Ackland). An impressive number of British stars started their careers on The Bill including Kiera Knightly, Russell Brand, James McAvoy and David Tennant.

Sam Pearson, Social and Digital Marketing Manager for Drama said,

We love to give Drama fans more of what they love. Explorethebill.co.uk provides fans with the best of The Bill that they can share with friends and revisit time and again.

The Bill is one of Drama's most popular shows, on linear and on-demand alike. The Bill has one of Drama's most loyal audiences and reaches over two million individuals each month on the channel.

Adrian Wills, general manager of Drama said,

Drama is the proud home of The Bill, a fantastic show that our viewers love. We are excited to launch explorethebill.co.uk to mark 32 years since the first episode aired. We are sure fans will love it.

ENDS

For more information contact:

About Drama

Freeview 20, Sky 158, Virgin 190, BT and TalkTalk 020

Drama is a channel that is passionate about bringing you Britain's best-loved dramas. From period through to contemporary and comedy, the channel is a treasure trove of classics which showcase the greatest stories ever told in an entertaining and engaging way. With programmes including Call The Midwife, Pride and Prejudice, Sharpe, New Tricks and Silent Witness, viewers can indulge in a handpicked range of the nation's most celebrated TV dramas.

About UKTV

UKTV is the biggest multichannel broadcaster in the UK.

The award-winning independent has eleven imaginative brands - UKTV Play, Dave, W, Gold, Alibi, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home, Eden and Good Food. These include the two most popular non-PSB channels in the UK and account for 9.31% of the British commercial TV market.

The company's most recent financial results showed record-breaking year-end revenue of £283m and EBITDA of £74.1m. It invested £123m in programming and related launches last year, and is becoming an increasingly significant investor in UK creativity.

UKTV has a truly innovative model, curating brand-defining commissions, high-profile acquisitions and the very best of BBC, alongside programmes originally shown on ITV and Channel 4. The network embraces technology to deliver inspired channels to audiences through Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat, Amazon Fire and UKTV Play, and distributes its highly valued original programmes to 200 territories.

Now celebrating its 22nd year at the forefront of digital television, UKTV - an independent commercial joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI) - is proud to be the only British television broadcaster to be recognised by Best Companies.